Collar support



Jan. 4 1944.

J. W. STEELE.

COLLAR- SUPPORT Filed Nov. 29, 1941 INVENTOR: M fifee/e,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,338,211 COLLAR SUPPORT James W. Steele, North Kansas City, Mo.

Application November 29, 1941, Serial No. 420,976

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to collar supporting and reinforcing devices.

One of the objects of my invention is to devise an improved collar support adapted for insertion between the folds of a collar and having a novel form of retaining structure for securely anchoring the ends of the support Within the collar. In embodying this improved feature I have found it practical to construct such retaining means as a part of the band forming the support, thus facilitatin the economical manufacture of the improved article.

It is further sought to provide a novel device of this character which is not only practical and economical for manufacturing purposes but is alsoparticularly easy and convenient for the operator to handle and insert into operative or supporting position within the garment collar.

Accordingly, with these general objects in view the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating devices designed for embodying the proposed improvements, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating an apparatus including a former stand and also means for maintaining a supply of the collar supporting devices in conveniently accessible positicn,said view further illustrating a shirt garment with one of the supports in partly inserted position;

Figure 2 is an elevation showing the upper portion of the apparatus of Figure 1 with said collar supporting device fully inserted, and the collar also in lowered position on the former;

' Figure 3 is a plan view of the collar support on a slightly larger scale;

figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one end of the support and showing the improved folding tab structure turned down into its operative position when inserted within the shirt collar; 7

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the supporting device for the collar; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one end of said modified form of the collar support bent into a slightly curved state.

' The types of collar supporting and reinforcing devices to which the present improvements relate are of the character of those shown in certain of my prior patents, such as in No. 2,246,395 dated June 17, 1941.

' Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing, one

form of the present improved support may comprise a band or strip Ill of suitable flexible and yet relatively stilT material such as a fair grade of cardboard or the like, and of a length adapted to extend approximately half way around each side of a collar l2 of a garment, such as a collarattached shirt M as represented in Figures 1 and 2. As illustrated in Figure 3 the collar support is out to form diverging end portions in obtuse angular relation adapted to be embraced between the inner or neckband portion l5 and the outer fold I6 of the collar !2. Also as illustrated in the aforesaid patent the upper edge of the middle portion of the band is out to provide tab elements l8 formed between two high points or shoulders to designed to function in the same manner as explained in said patent. However, I have found it desirable to provide a narrow neck 22 connecting the middle of the tab structure with the body of the band for somewhat increased flexibility.

As a means for forming a binding and non-slipping engagement between the ends of the support and the collar folds, I provide a structure which enables the operator to readily turn over the upper corners of the ends of the support so as to I produce at said corners a double thickness having a broken or roughened edge adapted to counteract any tendency of the ends to slip out of place. For this purpose, in stamping out the supports, provision is made for forming a narrow tab piece or strip 25 at each of the upper rear corners of the support and connecting the outer end portion of each strip 25 with the body l0 along a perfcrated line 26; the remainder or inner end portion of each strip or tab piece 25 is preferably separated from the body It] by a cut or slit 2'! in line with the perforations 26 and terminating just short of the upper edge of the band as indicated at 28.

Such a corner structure enables each of the upper rear corners of the support to be readily turned down by the operator, as illustrated in igures 1 and 4, the cut or slit portion of the hinge or fold line facilitating the folding over of the tab piece 25. The object of this feature is of course to produce an enlargement of the ends" of the support, i. e., rendering said ends somewhat thicker when they are inserted in place, so that the additional binding pressure on the ends will serve to hold them in place; moreover, the

serrated edges presented by the perforated lines 26 after the tab pieces have been turned down also effect an antislipping engagement with the fold line of the collar; and this antislipping action is further accentuated by the shoulder points which are formed by the bent-over inner ends of said tab st ps at 2%.

In sta oping out the supports, it may be pointed out that the hinge lines the tab strips comprising the perforations slit Ell, are extended substantially line with the upper edges of the band between the points fill and 28. Thus in the continuous, quantity production method of manufacture from the Web cardboard stock, the lower edges of the end portions of the support are correspondingly cut away, as indicated at 29, along lines parallel to hinge lines of the tab strips 25. This is moreover a distinct advantage, since it results in a better lit at the sides of the collar by eliminating any projection of the loweredges of the support at these points. and hence lends a heater appearance to the finished garment.

One method which I have found to b most practical and efficient for inserting the collar supports in place witn the collar, as well as an efficient arrangement of accessory equipment to facilitate such opera on, is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. In Figure l is shown a collar former appliance to which the shirt it may be transferred after removal fr '11 another appliance (such as, e. g., a machine inner), and in applying the shirt to the former I preferably drape it loosely from the top of the former 35! b pulling the collar over to one side so that the collar hangs loosely and without any binding against the apparatus, as illustrated. facilitates insertion of one of the supports of which a supply is maintained in a holder carried by an arm having clamping elements for attachment to the base of the standard 3! which supports the former Ell. The arm 33 of such length a to position the holder at the most convenient height for the operator; and moreover this arm extends outwardly at an a propriate angle to in su re ample space and cl arance between it and the standard 35 for accc .modating the shirt as supported by said former in both the collar support inserting and the collar forming operations.

In the operation, briefly stated, the operator takes a support from the holder 32 and inserts one end of it within one side of the collar ii, i. e., between the inner outer folds i5 and it thereof and at that side of the garment having the buttonhole pleat as illustrated in Figure 1, and pushes the support into place until it is stopped by engagement of portion 22 of the tab structure it) with the front edge H at that side of the collar. The operator then simply takes hold of the other end of the support and pushes it in a similar along with the upper end of the buttonhole ple t into the other side of the collar or until its edge ll comes into engagement with the 0 Site side of said neck portion 22the tab struc it? being of course maintained above and in front of the upper front corners of the collar for serving the proper function of said tabs as more fully explained in my Patent #2149192, dated February 23, 1939. Such inserting operation naturally contract the collar by drawing the side port Til-3 thereof together (due to the converging de contour the support), after which the operator proceeds to lift the shirt oil the top of the former and drops it down into the usual operative collar-forming position illustrated in Figure 2. 1 this connection it will be noted that by g the support in the first instance into that end of the collar which is attached to the buttonhole pleat thi facilitates the insertion of said butonhole pleat in unison along with the remainder of the support into the opposite end of the collar, by eliminating the necessity of watching out for the buttonhole pleat to see that it i properly tucked between the support and neckband of the collar, as would be required if the operation were started at the opposite side or the collar and carried out in a manner the reverse of that above described.

A modified form of construction for the collar supporting band. is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. In this modified form the upper edges of the opposite end portions of the band It ar simply cut to produce a series of parallel slits 34. These slits are all inclined toward the middle portion of I the band and open out on the upper edges of the band, so that after insertion of the support within the collar the bending of the support to conform to the collar. tends to fan out said slit portions and thus produce serrated edges tending to produce the same anti-slipping function as the perforated lines 26 of the first form of the device.

It will therefore be apparent that with either forrn construction an efficient means for the prevention or slipping or creeping of the ends of the support, out of proper position, is provided, which will also enable a somewhat shorter form of band to be used than that illustrated in said Patent Moreover, while the tab structure i i-22 provides a desirable form of stop or limiting means for gaging the extent of insertion of the support within the collar, in both forms or the device as herein illustrated, it of course apparent that a plain or tabless form of support could be used having equivalent marking means for guiding the operator in the operation of thrusting the device into the collar.

In either form or type of construction it is contemplated that in view of the holding or gripping properties of the ends of the support in its inserted position, the customer will simply remove t e same by tearing it in two at the front of the collar and then removing the sections by pulling them out from the opposite sides of the collar in an obvious manner.

While I have illustrated and described a suitable construction for practicing the invention, modifications are of course apparent within the essential scope of my improvements; I therefore desire to be understood as expressly reserving the right to all such changes or modifications as be fairly deemed to fall within the spirit and scope of the apended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A collar support for collar attached shirts, comprising a single strip of flexible and relatively stiii material for extending across the front ends of the collar and the opposite end portions of said strip being insertable between the inner neckband portion. and the outer fold of the collar, said insertable end portions having their upper edges provided with tabs foldable down upon said ends on inserting the same and thereby producing edge portions of increased thickness tending by engagement with the fold line of the collar to counteract any creeping or slipping of the support out of its inserted position.

A collar support for collar-attached shirts, compris ng a single strip of flexible and relatively stiff material for extending across the front ends or t collar and the opposite end portions 1 being insertable between the neck- O1 saio band and outer fold of the collar, the upper edges of said insertable ends having tabs connected ther to along weakened hinge lines permitting the tabs to be folded down upon said end portions able ends having tabs foldable down upon said I ends along hinge lines formed partly by slit cuts and partly by perforated lines whereby on insertion of said end portions the folded tabs counteract any creeping or withdrawing tendency thereof from inserted position,

4. A collar support for collar-attached hirts, comprising a strip of flexible and relatively stifi material for spanning the space between the front ends of the collar and the opposite end portions of said strip being inserjtable into supporting position between the neckband and outer fold of the collar, one of said insertable ends having a tab foldable down upon said end along a hinge line forming a straight line continuation of the upper edge of said end whereby on insertion of said end said folded tab counteracts any creeping or withdrawing tendency thereof from inserted position.

JAMES W. STEELE. 

